RNA-Seq of Rhinolophus affinis macrurus brain

Mitochondrial function involves the interplay between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Such mitonuclear interactions can be disrupted by the introgression of mitochondrial DNA between taxa or divergent populations. Previous studies of several model systems (e.g. Drosophila) indicate that the disruption of mitonuclear interactions, termed mitonuclear mismatch, can alter nuclear gene expression, yet few studies have focused on natural populations. Here we study a naturally introgressed population in the secondary contact zone of two subspecies of the intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis), in which individuals possess either mitonuclear matched or mismatched genotypes. We generated transcriptome data for six tissue types from five mitonuclear matched and five mismatched individuals.

线粒体功能依赖于线粒体基因组与细胞核基因组之间的相互作用。此类核质互作（mitonuclear interaction）可因类群间或分化种群间的线粒体DNA基因渐渗（introgression）而遭到破坏。此前针对多个模式系统（如果蝇（Drosophila））的研究表明，核质互作的破坏——即核质不匹配（mitonuclear mismatch）——可改变核基因表达，但目前鲜有研究聚焦于自然种群。本研究针对两种中菊头蝠（Rhinolophus affinis）次生接触带中的自然渐渗种群展开研究，该种群内的个体分别携带核质匹配或核质不匹配的基因型。我们为5个核质匹配个体与5个核质不匹配个体的6种组织类型生成了转录组（transcriptome）数据。